The Japanese Art of Forest Bathing

The Japanese Art of Forest Bathing

by | Oct 26, 2017 | Lifestyle

There’s something soothing and relaxing about taking a stroll through a peaceful, lush rainforest. The chirping of the birds, the rustling of the breeze and the scents of the trees have been enjoyed by people for centuries. We’re loving the term the Japanese have given to getting amongst forests in your spare time – forest bathing – or in their language, Shinrin Yoku. This form of eco-therapy was developed in the 1980’s and has become a popular form of preventative health care and healing in Japanese medicine.

It is also becoming a pastime in the US, where resorts and nature parks are offering guided, forest bathing walks for visitors to soak up the sights and sounds of nature.

Forest Bathing is not about hiking, climbing or running the trails. It is simply visiting a natural area and wandering or just sitting amongst nature, preferably for a few hours and taking in the sounds, smells and sights of the forest.

Without getting too scientific, the sense of relaxation that comes from Forest Bathing comes from trees releasing essential oils and organic compounds. The trees do this to protect themselves from germs and insects but this process has the wonderful side effect of smelling great AND improving our health.

Forest Bathing has been said to lower blood pressure and heart rate, reduce stress hormone production, boosts the immune system and improves feelings of well-being.

Other benefits are said to be decreased feelings of depression, improved focus, greater creativity and increased energy.

If you don’t have a rainforest in your back yard don’t despair. A leisurely relaxed bushwalk or stroll through your local Botanical Gardens will do the trick as would grabbing a sandwich in your lunchbreak and sitting quietly in your local park.

We can’t wait to hear how you’re enjoying your next Forest Bath : )

Beat the 3pm Energy Slump

Beat the 3pm Energy Slump

by | Oct 25, 2017 | Health & Wellness

We all know it. That sluggish feeling you get mid-afternoon, when your eyes will NOT stay open and you lose concentration. You feel like there is an eternity until you can ‘knock off’ for the day and there is still a mountain of work to get through. Whether you are at work or at home with the kids, the 3pm slump can be beaten with a few simple, energy boosting steps.

Eat a balanced lunch

Regardless of how hungry you feel, avoid a heavy lunch, especially a high fat one. Instead, opt for a balance of healthy fats, slow release carbs and lean protein. This combination, added to a salad will give you the energy you need to get you through the afternoon.

Drink Water

It can’t get easier than that. But how does drinking water which has zero nutritional value, help with energy levels? Put simply, dehydration leads to fatigue as the body has to work harder to push oxygen and nutrients to the bodies organs, brain and muscles. Keep an insulated jug of water beside you during the day and sip on it constantly. Iff you get to mid-afternoon and find yourself feeling tired, have an extra glass of water or herbal tea.

Don’t fall into the sugar trap

You might get an instant energy hit from chocolate or a sweet biscuit but it will be a temporary boost and the sugar low afterwards will leave you feeling worse than before. Instead, reach for chia seeds which promote energy and are rich in B vitamins, omega 3 and protein. Mix them in with some low fat yoghurt and a handful of nuts and you’ll feel better in no time.

Breathe and Move

Take a few minutes to get some fresh air and sunshine. Take a few deeps breaths, making sure you take air right down into your lungs and stomach and exhale fully. This oxygen injection will help energise your body and the sunshine certainly can’t hurt (you’ll be getting a bit of vitamin D for a start). Walking around a bit will also help wake up your system and get that new found oxygen moving to your brain.

If you have to cheat

Try dark chocolate. The higher the cocoa content, the better it is for you. Cocoa is high in anti-oxidants and minerals such as magnesium and iron.

Summer Suncare Plan

Summer Suncare Plan

by | Oct 15, 2017 | Family

With a long, hot summer ahead, it is worth doing a refresher on the best summer suncare plan for you and your family. If you’re Australian or grew up in Australia in the 80’s or 90’s you’d be able to sing the lyrics to the Slip, Slop, Slap jingle in your sleep. The campaign, created to get Aussies serious about sun protection, launched in 1981 when the links between UV radiation and Australia’s climbing skin cancer rates became evident.

We all knew we had to slip on a shirt, slop on sunscreen and slap on a hat and it certainly brought about some excellent habits but did you know in recent years the campaign has been extended to include SEEK shade and SLIDE on sunglasses?

These five suncare steps give us and our children the best chance of avoiding the suns damaging UVA and UVB rays which can cause skin cancer and speed up ageing of the skin.

When it comes to the SLOP factor, the latest advice from Cancer Council Australia and SunSmart is as follows:

  • Apply sunscreen 20 minutes before going out into the sun
  • Apply 5ml (or one teaspoon) of sunscreen per limb and rub in thoroughly. This may seem like a lot of lotion or cream but think about it this way – your skin is the largest organ of the human body and to give proper coverage, you really do need that much.
  • Re-apply sunscreen two hourly or after swimming, exercising or towel drying to maintain optimum levels of protection.
  • Buy the highest SPF factor possible. SPF50+ is the gold standard of sun protection in Australia and blocks 98% of UVB rays.
  • If you have a reaction to a particular sunscreen, try a fragrance-free formulation or one specifically designed for toddlers or babies.

Remember the other elements of the campaign, SLIP on protective clothing whenever you can, SLAP on a wide, broad-brimmed hat, SEEK shade – particularly between 10am and 2pm and SLIDE on some sunglasses.

Kombucha Mocktail Recipe

Kombucha Mocktail Recipe

by | Sep 30, 2017 | Health & Wellness

Summer and a good hydration plan go hand in hand. We need to drink more during warmer months as our bodies sweat more to try and counteract the heat and keep temperatures from climbing.

While water is the go-to, gold standard solution and we should all aim to drink six to eight glasses a day, there are times when the good old H2O just won’t cut it and you need something with a bit of pizzazz to quench your thirst. Especially for that after work catch up with friends or week-end treat.

Here’s our suggestion for achieving the best of both worlds – a Kombucha Mocktail.

We sell a lot of Kombucha in our stores. And when we say a lot we mean a LOT. The health benefits are reportedly due to it being full of probiotics, living enzymes and organic acids. It is said to be good for the health of the gut and in balancing mind, body and spirt. All that aside, and with a stack of flavours to choose from, the lightly sparkling drink is refreshing and hydrating. The team at WholeLife Discount Drug Store and Healthfoods, Pease St came up with the following recipe they’ll have on high repeat over Christmas.

Ingredients
  • Cocktail glasses – you have to look the part : )
  • Cocktail umbrellas if you want to go all out
  • Garnish – lemon, berries, mint
  • Plenty of ice
  • Kombucha – we like keeping it simple and buying the bottled and flavoured variety. For this one, we used Ginger
  • All the ingredients you would add to your favourite green juice. Think apple, pineapple, celery, cucumber and kale.

Blend the ice, green juice ingredients and kombucha in a blender until smooth. Pour into your cocktail glass and add your garnish.

It’s as easy as that. No dehydration headaches. Just energy, vitality and a healthier gut : )